A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Bill Essayli is unlawfully serving as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. Senior U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright wrote that Essayli is unlawfully serving as a “de facto” United States Attorney, and he barred Essayli from taking part in or supervising two criminal cases.
The order does not take effect right away. Seabright put the disqualifications on hold while the Justice Department seeks a stay pending appeal, and the department has said it plans to appeal.
Essayli became interim U.S. attorney for the Central District of California in April 2025. He was never confirmed by the Senate. When his interim appointment neared its 120-day limit, the department named him a special attorney and first assistant U.S. attorney, a move meant to keep him in charge of the office.
Seabright ruled that those titles did not solve the problem. According to reports of the ruling, the department had handed Essayli powers so broad that he was effectively doing the top job anyway. The judge cited an August ruling from the Ninth Circuit in a similar Nevada case, which found the department could not keep a prosecutor in charge under a different title.
The two cases covered by the order are the prosecutions of Jaime Hector Ramirez and Tu Anh Tran, whose lawyers challenged Essayli’s authority. Seabright declined to dismiss their indictments, finding they had not shown the substantial prejudice needed for that relief.
Essayli said he disagrees with the order. In a statement, he said the president and the attorney general “have every right to select supervisors within the Justice Department” and that he looks forward to serving in his current role until the question is decided by the Supreme Court.
Source: MyNewsLA
